• Guardiola said club 'used Tito's illness to cause me damage'
• Current Barça coach contradicts friend's version of events
• Current Barça coach contradicts friend's version of events
The Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova says he was surprised by Guardiola's comments. Photograph: Lluis Gene/AFP/Getty Images
Barcelona's coach, Tito Vilanova, has hit back at comments by his predecessor Pep Guardiola
who had said he was incensed at suggestions that he had not made the
effort to see his former assistant when he was in New York for cancer
treatment.
Guardiola had also accused the club's directors of not leaving him in peace after he left the club, saying: "I will never forget that they used Tito's illness to cause me damage, because it's a lie that I never saw him in New York."
However, Vilanova contradicted that version of events when he spoke at Barça's first pre-season press conference.
"People aren't interested in personal matters, but Pep got it wrong and I'm surprised by his comments," Vilanova told AS. "No one on the board used my illness to attack him. The club tried to help me as much as possible.
"He visited me once in New York when I'd just arrived, but during my recovery from the operation I was there for two months and I didn't see him. He's my friend and I needed him, but he wasn't there for me. I would have done things differently. I won't say anything else about this."
Asked if problems between them had arisen because Vilanova had been made coach, he said: "I talked to him and told him what I intended to do. It was him who encouraged me to become Barça coach. I've known him for 28 years. He's my friend. I've won titles with him and we had amazing times together."
The Barcelona defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets has renewed his contract with the club through 2018 with an option to extend for another year. The club say the Spain international's buyout clause is to remain at €150m (£130m).
Guardiola had also accused the club's directors of not leaving him in peace after he left the club, saying: "I will never forget that they used Tito's illness to cause me damage, because it's a lie that I never saw him in New York."
However, Vilanova contradicted that version of events when he spoke at Barça's first pre-season press conference.
"People aren't interested in personal matters, but Pep got it wrong and I'm surprised by his comments," Vilanova told AS. "No one on the board used my illness to attack him. The club tried to help me as much as possible.
"He visited me once in New York when I'd just arrived, but during my recovery from the operation I was there for two months and I didn't see him. He's my friend and I needed him, but he wasn't there for me. I would have done things differently. I won't say anything else about this."
Asked if problems between them had arisen because Vilanova had been made coach, he said: "I talked to him and told him what I intended to do. It was him who encouraged me to become Barça coach. I've known him for 28 years. He's my friend. I've won titles with him and we had amazing times together."
The Barcelona defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets has renewed his contract with the club through 2018 with an option to extend for another year. The club say the Spain international's buyout clause is to remain at €150m (£130m).
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have Your Say